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Nearly 2 Dozen Sailors Rescued From Severn River In Annapolis

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — A fun day planned with pleasant weather took a scary and dangerous turn as strong winds blew over several sail boats near Annapolis. In all, 22 people were tossed in the water, prompting rescue efforts by the Coast Guard and other agencies.

A cell phone video taken by a witness captures a day out on the Severn River, but as winds pick up the activities turns to a panic as gusts of wind overturns 15 laser sailboats out for a Severn Sailing Association event.

The minutes potentially feeling like hours as people are tossed from their sailboat.

“And what you could see, was these tiny little black specks of a person in their dry suit, trying to get out of the water,” says witness Stuart White.

White, also a sailor, says he was inside nearby when he saw people struggling to keep their sailboats from overturning. One by one, sailors losing the fight against the recorded 40-mile-an-hour winds around Severn River.

“Made me very nervous that possibly someone died in this, but thank goodness there was no one who died, so very happy about that,” says White.

According to the Maryland Natural Resources Police, all 22 people — ranging in age from 16 to 70 — on the 15 sailboats were rescued.